It is known that individual nuclear particles are so constituted as to permit fusion of some of the lighter nuclei. Fusion of lighter nuclei accompanied by release of energy makes of particular interest any fusion reaction in which energy can be produced in quantities greater than the energy consumed in establishing and maintaining the reaction. There are over 30 reactions known to be possible. The most appealing reactions are those which involve the heavy hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, because they tend to have the largest fusion reaction cross section at the lowest energies. Many possible reactions are well known. For example, Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition, Reinhold Company, New York, N.Y., 1976, at page 1656, et seq., discusses various aspects of the possibilities for producing a net energy gain from fusion reactions and briefly describes some of the attempts to perform such reactions with a net gain.
Plasma research has received concentrated attention in many quarters, but the formidible task of plasma containment has yet to be solved. In avoidance of the problems of containment, a more recent approach involves laser-induced fusion. In its simplest form focused energetic laser beams are brought to bear on a small deuterium-tritium pellet for heating to fusion temperatures. Efforts on this and on other fronts such as those involving containment have continued in response to high incentives.
Thus, while many of the possibilities have long been known and have been widely attacked through various approaches towards achieving net gain from fusion, the challenge remains unsatisfied.
The obvious advantage of fusion power is that it offers the promise of being able to utilize an essentially inexhaustible low cost fuel supply. This prospect grows in stature as world demands for energy continue to increase and conventional fuel sources become depleted or unavailable. A further significant advantage is that optimum fuels may be chosen to produce reaction products which are non-toxic and thus permit energy producing operations compatible with demanding environmental requirements.
In divisional application Ser. Nos. 201,544 and 201,542 both filed on Oct. 28, 1980 and arising from Ser. No. 021,115 filed Mar. 16, 1979 (now abandoned) a system is described for the fusion of light nuclei by controlling the paths of travel of nuclei as to promote head-on collisions. Ions from one source are caused to orbit in one direction by means including a radial electric field in a cylindrical reaction space. Ions from another source orbit in the reaction space in the opposite direction. A cylindrical reaction zone is thus established in which fusion producing collisions are promoted between ions in two counterflow streams.